Photo by Allie Appel
The first thing our server tells us is, “Everything is local, seasonal, organic …” and a host of other buzzwords sure to please a foodie. For a new restaurant championing its farm-to-table mission, that’s to be expected. But even with all those of-the-moment phrases floating around, what’s a little unexpected is how simple the end result can be.
The menu here seems to bet on fresh ingredients and the care taken in selecting them, rather than an Instagram-ready finished product.
Case in point: the Smoked Redfish Dip. Featured on the “Scraps” portion of the menu, it includes a pecan-smoked filet of Gulf redfish, herbed lemon aioli and flecks of green onion all whipped together in a bowl and served with toasted slices of French bread.
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The smokiness of the redfish is the most dominant flavor, hitting you before you can even take a bite. Smeared on the crunchy toasts, though, it’s creamy, comforting and salty—something to be shared rather than devoured on your own.
Sitting at a corner booth, surrounded by untreated wood paneling and with a massive bison head above us, it felt like a rustic lodge serving up what was caught in a nearby mountain stream just the day before. Only the reminder that this fish was scooped up from Gulf waters brought me back to South Louisiana.
Smoked local fish isn’t something you’d often find on a Louisiana menu. We prefer it fried, blackened or grilled. But done right—as Table did—it offers a unique take on our bounty and turns “local” on its head. tablekitchenandbar.com